Jake and I used to go weekly for reverse happy hour sushi a couple years ago. He would fly home on Friday nights an hour before midnight after a long week of work, and I wanted to celebrate surviving another week of medical school (only two more weeks left!). I was shocked when I tasted this sushi we made at home. It tasted exactly the same as the fancy places where we used to go. Well, we didn't get extremely creative and stuck with California Rolls and Philly Rolls, but still! It was surprisingly easy, and made for a fun date night!
***Read the instructions You only use 1/2 a seaweed sheet at a time, the photos show a whole sheet -- don't do that !! "
Supplies:
Nori Seaweed - I found mine at Whole Foods and it was perforated (my TJoe's didn't have it, nor did my Hy-vees)
2 Cups of Sushi Rice - I found mine at Whole Foods
Cucumber, sliced into thin strips (julienne)
Avocado, sliced into thin strips
Cream Cheese, sliced into thin strips
Smoked Salmon - It's available in packages near the fish counter, but you could use raw
Crab - we used imitation sticks this time because it's easy, but tonight I'm making some with real crab
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoons of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Salt
Bamboo Mat (Whole foods has it or Amazon here) + Saran Wrap
Soy Sauce for dipping
Thai Chili Sauce for topping
Sparkling Wine (pairs well!)
Optional sushi add ons: caviar, sesame seeds, jalepano, ginger, wasabi
California Roll: crab, cucumber, avocado - topped with thai chili sauce
Philly Roll: salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado
1. Cook your Sushi Rice by the package instructions. I usually cook the rice about an hour before I want to eat. While hot, season it with the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Then let rice cool to room temperature. The rice will be sticky and will act as glue for your sushi.
2. Once your rice is cooled, cover the bamboo mat with saran wrap. Cut your nori seaweed sheets in half (you don't need a whole!) and place it on the mat.
3. Spread a thin layer of rice over the half sheet of seaweed. A little rice goes a long way.
**You can choose to make your sushi inside out (rice on the outside) or "normal" which is seaweed on the outside. **
If you want the rice on the outside of your roll, then grab your seaweed half sheet and flip it over so the rice faces down on the bamboo mat. If you want the rice on the inside and seaweed on the outside then spread the rice and keep it as it is.
3. On one end of the seaweed mat, place your sushi ingredients in a row. Roll up your sushi roll by slightly pushing with your fingertips as you go. Watch this youtube video.
4. I let my rolls cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes before taking a wet knife and slicing them. Keep rewetting the knife or it will not make clean slices.
